Self-enquiry as taught by Sri Bhagwan is enough

[Subramanian.R]

Dear Anil,

Yes.  The unrelenting ego, will give a variety of challenges, fear,
fear of void, feeling of death, etc., for its survival.



Arunachala Siva.

[eranilkumarsinha]

Sri Bhagwan says that Meditation on Mahavakyas like “I am That“ and “I am the Supreme Being” implies mental imagery and is objective where as “Who am I ?” enquiry is subjective. “I am That” is a thought and Sri Bhagwan says that all thoughts are inconsistent with Realization. Seeking the Source, merging without thought as That and remaining as That free of any thought whatsoever is Knowledge, Jnana.

Mrs. Jennings, an American lady : Is not affirmation of God more effective than the quest, “Who am I ?“ Affirmation is positive, where as the other is negation. Moreover, it indicates separateness.

Sri Bhagwan : So long you seek to know how to realize, this advice is given to find your Self. Your seeking the method denotes your separateness.

D : Is it not better to say ‘I am the Supreme Being’ than ask ‘Who am I ?’

Sri Bhagwan : Who affirms ? There must be one to do it. Find that one.

D : Is not meditation better than investigation ?

Sri Bhagwan : Meditation implies mental imagery, where as investigation is for the Reality. The former is objective, where as the latter is subjective.

D : There must be a scientific approach to this subject.

Sri Bhagwan : To eschew unreality and seek the Reality is scientific.

                                            Talks, no. 338

Thank You,
      Anil       

[Subramanian.R]

Dear Anil,

Sri Bhagavan called Brahman as ULLadu.  That which exists. It has
no other features.  Only upon realization, one finds It which has become now that One Man, to be of immense pleasure and bliss and effulgence.  All other forms are prayed only in dual state.  Who am I? takes one to the state of Being.  For some people like Muruganar, Annamalai Swami and one unknown Harijan, Sri Bhagavan asked them to chant silently Siva, Siva.  This again is telling only the Name and not keeping any of Siva's form in front.  This Name will takes you to the egoless state where one becomes Sivam. 

Sri Bhagavan says in Verse 8 of ULLadu Narpadu:

Under whatever name or form we worship it, it leads us to the knowledge of the nameless, formless Absolute Self.  Yet, to see one's own true Self in the Absolute, to subside into it, and be one with it, this is the true knowledge of the Truth.

Sri Bhagavan has also said in Verse 34 of ULLadu Narpadu:

The natural and true Reality for ever resides in the Heart of all -
not to realize It there and stay in It - but to quarrel - 'It is', 'It
is not', 'It has form', 'It has not form', 'It is one', 'It is two', 'It
is neither' -- these are all the mischief of maya.



Arunachala Siva.

[eranilkumarsinha]

Dear Sri Subramanian Sir,

Ulladu-That which exists. (Sat)
Narpadu- ? ( Does the word mean ‘Darshan’ ?)

“ This Name will take you to the egoless state. “
( Name is said to be of great spiritual importance. )
“Chanting the Name without keeping any form in front. “
It needs to be explained how chanting a Sacred Name without keeping the form and attributes in front associated with that Name can be possible. It sounds like ‘taking the medicine without the thought of a monkey’.

“Only upon Realization, one finds It which has become now that One Man, to be of immense pleasure and bliss and effulgence.”
Very nice sir.

Subsiding as jiva, merging, and remaining as That without any thought is Knowledge, Jnana.

Thank you so much sir.

Regards,
  Anil 

[eranilkumarsinha]

THERE IS NOTHING TO ATTAIN AND NO TIME TO WITHIN WHICH TO ATTAIN. YOU ARE ALWAYS THAT. YOU HAVE NOT GOT TO ATTAIN ANYTHING. YOU HAVE ONLY TO GIVE UP THINKING YOU ARE LIMITED, TO GIVE UP THNKING YOU ARE THIS BODY.

                                                  BHAGWAN SRI RAMANA
                     ( Printed on the back cover of the diary.2011, Sri Ramanasramam )

‘I’ limited is the ego, ‘I’ unlimited is the Supreme Self.

Limitation is mental. An element of imagination. A mere notion. The ego is not independent and apart from the Self. Sri Bhagwan says you have only to give up thinking you are limited, to give up thinking you are this body. Only the diabolic thought that ‘I am this body’ is at the root of this vicious ignorance. Once one is free from this thought, one subsides as the insignificant jiva, merges and remains as That free of any limiting thought. 

Thank You,
    Anil   

[Subramanian.R]

Dear Anil,

Narpadu means Chalis or forty.  Since the scripture has got 40 verses
excluding the 2 benedictory verses, it is called ULLadu Narpadu.
ULLadu is Sat.  Kavyakanta while translating in Sanskrit called it
Sat Darsanam.  Sat Darsanam is Sat Revealed. Sri Lakshmana Sarma
has called it Truth Revealed.

How to meditate without name and form.  Usually when we chant
a mantra like Siva, Siva,...or Rama, Rama, we try to get a picture of
Siva with matted hairs, serpents and third eye, or Rama with bow and arrow with Sita, Lakshman, and Hanuman.  This is not suggested here.  When you meditate you meditate them as Light
or Pure Space with in you.  Space and Light are beyond name and form.



Arunachala Siva. 

[eranilkumarsinha]

Dear Sri Subramanian Sir,

Thank you so much for giving the correct meaning of the word ‘Narpadu’.

Sri Ganapati Muni named his Sanskrit translation of  the ‘ULLadu Narpadu’ as the ‘Sat Darshanam’. Sri Laksman Sarma named his English translation of the Scripture as the ‘Truth Revealed’. And Sri T.M.P. Mahadevan named his English translation of the ‘Sacred Words’ as the Philosophy of Existence. Therefore, on the basis of the above, I simply tried to guess that the word ‘Narpadu’ may mean ‘Darshan’.

Dear sir, it so happens that when one chants Sri Bhagwan’s or Sri Arunachala’s Sacred Name, it begins with the name and form, but soon it is nameless and formless Light or the Pure Space, as you called It, not only within but all around as well as within.

Regards
  Anil

[eranilkumarsinha]

After surrendering your body, possessions and soul to the jnana-Guru, to regard any of them as ‘I’ or ‘mine’ is to commit the sin of stealing back what has been given away as a gift. You should know that avoiding this fault is the authentic worship of the Sadguru.

                                                                   V-317, Guru Vachaka Kovai

The same verse translated and printed in the Diary, 2011, Sri Ramanasramam, is as follows :

“Why do you still retain the attachment to the mental concepts of ‘I’ and ‘mine’ when, you have already offered up all those things to your Guru ?“

So after surrender, regarding this body as ‘I’ and anything as ‘mine’ is to commit the sin of stealing back what has been given away as a gift. 

Just below this verse in Sri David Godman edited version of the Guru Vachaka Kovai,
There are three statements of Sri Bhagwan which the ‘note’ at the bottom assigns as vv. 14,15, 16 of the Padamalai.

Sri Bhagwan :” If you completely surrender all your responsibilities to me, I will accept them as mine and manage them.

When bearing the entire burden remains my responsibility, why do you have any worries?

Why do you still retain this attachment to the mental concepts of ‘I’ and ‘mine’ when, on that day, you had offered up all those things to me, avowing them to be mine ?”

It is not only a sin to try to steal back what has been offered to the Guru as a gift, even in worldly order of things, it is preposterous to do so. Isn’t it ?

Thank You,
    Anil

[Subramanian.R]

Dear Anil,

This is total surrender.  If there is total surrender, then God or Guru
will take all you burdens and manage them more efficiently.  But
we are all capable of only partial surrender.  This partial surrender,
is due to our not so easily forsaken ego.  We want the cake and eat it too.

Q: What is unconditional surrender?

Sri B: If one surrenders oneself there will be no one o ask this question or to be thought of.  Either the thoughts are eliminated
by holding on to the root-thought 'I' or one surrenders oneself unconditionally to the higher power.  These are only two ways for
realization.

Q:  Does not total or complete surrender require that one should not have left even the desire for liberation or God?

Sri B: Complete surrender does require that you have no desire of your own.  You must be satisfied with whatever God gives you and that means having no desires of your own.

Q: I find surrender is easier.  I want to adopt that path. 

Sri B: Surrender appears easy because people imagine that, once they say with their lips 'I surrender' and put their burdens on their Lord, they can be free and do what they like.  But the fact is that you can have no likes and dislikes after your surrender.  Your will should be completely non existent, the Lord's will taking its place.  The death of the ego in this way, brings about a state, which is not different from Jnana.

Q: Then Surrender is impossible.

Sri B: Yes. Complete surrender is impossible in the beginning. Partial surrender is certainly possible for all.  In course of time, that will lead to complete surrender.  Well, if surrender is impossible what can be done?  There is no peace of mind.  You are helpless to bring about it.  It can be done only by surrender.

In the Bhagavad Gita it says:  "The man who sheds all longing
and moves without concern, free from the sense of 'I' and 'mine' he attains Peace. [2.71].

Once Paul Brunton asked Sri Bhagavan: "Should I then leave all my possessions to attain God?"  Sri Bhagavan replied: "Leave the possessor too."



Arunachala Siva.

[eranilkumarsinha]

Ananyas cintayanto mam ye janah paryupasate,
Tesam nity’abhiyuktanam yoga-ksemam vahmy aham.

                                         V-22, Ch. 9, Srimad Bhagavad Gita

Ye janah-whoever
Ananyah-solely devoted to Me
Cintayantah-thinking of
Mam-Me
Parupasate-continuously worship
Nitya-bhiyuktanam-of those ever-steadfast devotees
Yogaksemam-protection and procurement of needs of yoga and as well as their worldly assets and interests

“Whoever, being solely devoted to Me, who are ever engaged in contemplation and worship of Me-to such ever-steadfast devotees I Myself ensure the protection and procurement of all their needs of yoga as well as their worldly assets and interests.”

Dear Sri Subramanian Sir,

Your last post inspired me to cite the V. 9-22 which is considered a very important verse on the Path of Devotion and is always cited.

Understanding of one’s true relationship with the Divine is essential to succeed in any marga. In the above cited verse, ‘ananyah’ has been interpreted to mean loving Him  and looking upon Him as one’s OWN rather than ‘anya’, or different from him, a separate Power to be propitiated only for worldly favors. ‘Anya’ means ‘the other’, or a stranger. Therefore, ‘ananya’ is the opposite, and means one’s very Own. The one who is ever engaged in worship and contemplation of Him and is thus remains always absorbed in Him, is certain to neglect his worldly interests and even not care for yoga consisting in Knowledge (Jnana) and liberation. The Compassionate Lord assures that to such an unwavering and steadfast devotee He Himself ensures the protection as well as provisions regarding yoga and worldly necessities. Such devotion is Pure Love and no extraneous interests are involved in His adoration including liberation.

Dear sir, Sri Bhagwan has said that partial surrender is possible for all and with time it becomes complete surrender. So long as the possessor is intact throwing its weight around and posing in the world as the sovereign lord, there is no use leaving only the possessions.

Dear sir, Jnana supports Bhakti and and Bhakti deepens Jnana. This is how I feel.

Thank you so much.

Regards,
  Anil               
 

[Subramanian.R]

Dear Anil,

Yes. 'Ananya' means without any thing other than You.  It denotes
Eka Chintana or a Single Thought.  Sri Bhagavan also mentions such
love without any other in Sri Arunachala Pancharatnam, Verse 5.
In this verse, He describes the love for everything as forms of
Arunachala, that is seeing everything as Sri Arunachala Swarupam.

He who, with Heart to You surrendered,
Beholds for ever You alone,
Sees all thins as forms of You
And loves and serves them as none other
Than the Self, O Aruna-Hill,
Triumphs because he is immersed
In You whose being is pure bliss.



Arunachala Siva.     

[eranilkumarsinha]

Dear Sri Subramanian Sir,

Ji. Yes. “ …..seeing everything as Sri Arunachala Swarupam.”
Everything includes ‘oneself’ as well.

“……serves them as none other than the Self, O Aruna Hill, triumphs.”
Therefore, it follows :
“I Am I, the Self.”
 “ ‘I Am’ is you.”
 “ ‘You Are’ is I”
“  ‘ I Am’ is everything and All.

There is neither past nor any thing called future ; only Present ( PRESENCE ) is.

‘IS’, ‘AM’, and, ‘ARE’ are defined as the verb ‘TO BE’ in grammar. They are, in truth, the ‘ASI’ of the “ TAT TVAM ASI “
‘ASI’ is BE-ING and the Supreme Reality. ( SUMMA IRU )

Dear sir, I have with me a slightly different version of the translation of the Verse-5 of the ‘ Arunachal Pancharatnam’ which I savor like Nectar.

“He who dedicated his mind to Thee, seeing Thee, always beholds the universe as Thy form, who at all times glorifies Thee and loves Thee as none other than the Self, he is Master without peer, being One with Thee, Oh Arunachala ! and lost in Thy Bliss.

Thank you so much sir.

Regards,
  Anil 

[Subramanian.R]

Dear Anil,

The translation that you are having is also quite okay.  I think
this is from Arthur Osborne.  What I have given is Prof. K.
Swaminathan's translation.

Here Sri Bhagavan in the original Tamizh version uses the "ULLam"
which is Heart.  He did not say, manas or manam in Tamizh which
means mind. Hence Prof. K. Swaminathan has used the word Heart.
Otherwise both are same.

Smt. T.R. Kanakammal has translated as follows:

Arunachala!  That best of devotees who, taking Thee as the sole
refuge and having surrendered his all unto Thee, beholds with a
pure heart all the perceived world as Thine own Form.  He loves Thee as none other than his own Self, mingles non dually in Thee, and getting immersed in Thy form of Bliss, gains mukti and triumphs.



Arunachala Siva.         

[eranilkumarsinha]

Dear Sri Subramanian Sir,

Ji. Yes. I have Sri Osborne’s translation of the five most Sublime Verses ever of Sri Arunachala Pancharatnam which I found them first in his popular ‘ Path Of Self Realization’ and the cited Verse was taken from this book.

Essence of all the three translations of the cited Verse is the same. Sri Osborne’s ‘mind to Thee’, Prof. Sri K. Swaminathan’s ‘with heart to you surrendered’ and Smt. T.R. Kanakammal’s ‘having surrendered his all unto Thee’ convey essentially the same meaning. However, it cannot be without deep implication that Sri Bhagwan uses the word ‘ULLam’ which means ‘Heart’ rather than ‘manas’ which means the mind.

Thank you so much sir.

Regards,
  Anil   

[eranilkumarsinha]

I give Mukti to some, but Bhakti seldom.
                     
                  Verse. 6-18, Bhagavata


In Srimad Bhagavad Gita, Lord says that of all the Bhaktas, Jnani Bhakta is dearest to Him.

Question : What is the relation between jnana and bhakti ?
Sri Bhagwan : The eternal, unbroken, natural state of abiding in the Self is jnana. To abide in the Self you must love the Self. Since God is verily the Self, love of the Self is love of God; and that is bhakti. Jnana and bhakti are thus one and the same.

                                      Maharshi’s Gospel

So, Sri Bhagwan’s Path is the Grand Synthesis of Jnana (Knowledge) and Love (Devotion). I love ’me’ and ‘mine’ which are the reflected consciousness of the Self. Therefore, love for ‘me’ and ‘mine’ is in truth love for the Self. I love my children because I love myself which again is the love for the Self. A Jnani Bhakta sees in everything Shiva who is none other than His own Self  and loves all as Siva-Swarupam.
One seeks the Self because one loves the Self whether one is conscious as such or not.

Thank You,
     Anil